Pupil's Gentleness Touched Many Lives

Hayley Rogers' Death Stuns Students, Staff

HEBRON — Twelve-year-old Hayley Rogers chose ``Serapia'' as her ethnic name in Spanish class because it sounded soft and gentle, just as she was.

As they struggled Monday to deal with her death, many of Hayley's fellow students and teachers at RHAM Middle School agreed.

``She is the most gentle child I have ever come into contact with,'' said Alice Hautman, Hayley's Spanish teacher.

Hayley's unexpected death on Saturday sent shock waves through the school Monday. The seventh-grader apparently suffered heart failure and collapsed while playing in a recreation basketball game at Andover Elementary School.

After Hayley's collapse, coach Larry Volzsaid, officials cleared all players and spectators into another room in the school while they tried to revive Hayley.

The coach was among those who attended to Hayley after her collapse. She was later taken by ambulance to Windham Community Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Volz' daughter, Amy, was a friend of Hayley's, and the two often played together at Volz' house.

``Hayley's been around my house for a lot of years,'' Volz said. ``It's terrible to see a beautiful young girl in a situation like that.''

Hayley's parents, Steve and Beth Rogers, remembered their daughter Monday as a fun-loving, outdoorsy type of girl who had a very close relationship with her brother Justus, a ninth-grader at RHAM High School. The two were best friends, as well as brother and sister, said middle school Principal Kristina Elias.

``She just loved having fun and she loved people,'' said Steve Rogers.

Hayley had never shown any signs of heart problems and had a successful doctor's visit just last week, said Elias.

The American flag flew at half staff outside the school Monday. Inside, a crisis team was assembled to help grieving students. Some students wrote their thoughts about Hayley on cards or notepaper. One student wrote about Hayley's basketball ability. Another pointed out her interest in skateboarding.

One of Hayley's recent class assignments was to draw a shield and write her personal interests on it. In addition to skateboarding and sports, Hayley wrote about her kittens and also said she loved spending time with her family, Elias said.

Teachers described Hayley as quiet and thoughtful, with a sense of wisdom ``beyond her years.''

``All we needed to do was make eye contact,'' said Marilyn Ulion, Hayley's teacher for mathematics and science. ``She understood humor when you cracked a joke, even when it was over the head of other students. She made that eye contact to let you know that the connection had been made. This is a student you experience, not a student you teach things to.''

Hayley was an honor roll student, but her academic ability was only a small part of who she was, said Hautman, her Spanish teacher.

``When you were in contact with Hayley, it was like you were being touched by an angel,'' Hautman said.

A fund is being established to help create a memorial in Hayley's memory to be placed in RoarkField on Wall Street in Hebron. Donations will be accepted at the Farmers and Mechanics Bank in town.